There comes a point every year where the question is whether to buy a current-generation iPhone or wait for the next model. In this case, we’re talking about the iPhone 15 vs. iPhone 16.
As someone who has followed Apple products for years, the simple answer to that question (at the time of writing, mid-July) is to wait.
If conventional wisdom is to hold true, we’re still roughly six to eight weeks away from what will most likely be Apple’s September event, which will see the introduction of the iPhone 16 family, consisting of the standard model, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max.
Rumors surrounding the iPhone 16’s specs and camera don’t point to any major improvements, but the emergence of Apple Intelligence could mean these phones will be worth the wait.
Furthermore, I predict that the price of the iPhone 15 will drop. That means that even if the next generation of Apple phones doesn’t grab your attention, you might be better off waiting until you can buy an iPhone 15 model at a lower price.
Wait for the next generation iPhone
If you have an older iPhone, say an iPhone 13, then it’s definitely worth waiting for the iPhone 16 to see what upgrades the phones bring. Even if they’re minor compared to the previous generation or two, they’re likely to be a big step up from what you have now; you can expect better cameras and overall performance, improved battery life, and a refined design.
And if you like to upgrade your phone every two years, it makes perfect sense to wait a while and upgrade from an iPhone 14 to an iPhone 16.
I have a feeling that once you get past the Amazon Prime Day iPhone deals, which typically take place every July, it’s time to batten down the hatches and hold on to the iPhone – or at least one of the best Android phones – until the new iPhones arrive.
It’s simply not worth buying a new current-generation iPhone when the new version is coming soon and there’s a good chance that the price of current iPhones will drop.
If you have to buy an iPhone now…
But you may also find yourself in a situation where you need to buy a new iPhone; maybe your iPhone fell off a table onto a hard concrete floor and now has a cracked screen, or maybe a rambunctious dog thought your iPhone 14 Pro was a high-tech chew toy…
If so, I can recommend three things.
First, look at getting an older iPhone to tide you over, perhaps one that’s been refurbished and is available on Amazon – the iPhone 13 is still a great phone and makes our list of the best iPhones . Alternatively, an iPhone SE is a good stopgap Apple phone, and can be used as a secondary smartphone if and when you upgrade to an iPhone 16.
The second option is to buy a used iPhone 15 or iPhone 14. These phones are often refurbished to a near-new condition, but can be significantly cheaper than when they are new.
Third, if you can’t stomach the above options, just head over to our best iPhone deals page , which will highlight some attractive discounts on leading iPhones. And check out the widget below, which should highlight the latest iPhone deals wherever you’re reading this article.
